AWS says Europe's slow power grid is hurting data center builds
Amazon Web Services (AWS) wants to build more data centers across Europe, but there's a big snag: getting connected to the power grid is taking up to seven years—way longer than actually building the centers.
Amazon Web Services's (AWS) head of energy markets and regulation in EMEA Pamela MacDougall says missing grid connections and power network congestion have made some projects unfeasible, and that Italy and Spain are among countries where grid connections are slowed.
AWS is investing heavily in Europe
Europe's power grid just isn't keeping up with new tech demands like AI, and connecting new sites takes much longer here than in the US.
The EU needs major upgrades to its power grid.
AWS is investing €7.8 billion in Germany for a new "Sovereign Cloud," aiming to boost jobs and local tech options—plus similar plans are coming for Belgium, the Netherlands, and Portugal.